Adam Sandler<\/a> who became partner and senior executive VP at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, died Thursday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 86.<\/p>\nWernick signed Sandler as a client when Sandler was just 22 years old, before he appeared on \u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d and his Netflix movie \u201cSandy Wexler\u201d paid homage to Wernick\u2019s reputation as a master dealmaker.<\/p>\n
At Brillstein, Wernick was involved in personal management, TV and motion picture packaging and producing. He started in the business out as an agent, working his way from the MCA mailroom to VP of the TV division at ICM.<\/p>\n
In addition to co-creating and executive producing \u201cDef Comedy Jam,\u201d he was integral to packaging and producing shows including \u201cSaturday Night Live.\u201d \u201cThe Muppet Show,\u201d \u201cThe Sopranos,\u201d \u201cPolitically Incorrect,\u201d \u201cJust Shoot Me,\u201d \u201cNewsRadio,\u201d Alf,\u201d \u201cThe Larry Sanders Show,\u201d \u201cRules of Engagement,\u201d \u201cThe Goldbergs,\u201d \u201cThe Jim Gaffigan Show\u201d and \u201cBuffalo Bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
He served as executive producer on feature films including \u201cHappy Gilmore,\u201d \u201cBilly Madison,\u201d \u201cThe Wedding Singer\u201d and \u201cBulletproof.\u201d Wernick also made cameo appearances as an actor in several motion pictures and TV shows.<\/p>\n
His clients as a manager and agent included actors, writers, producers, directors and designers such as Sandler, Tim Herlihy, John Davies, Akira (Leo) Yoshimura, Lorne Michaels, Ray Klausen, Don Mischer, Stan Lathan, Jeff Ross, Marilyn Wilson, Marty Pasetta, Victor Levin, Buz Kohan, Colin Quinn, Rob Schneider, Norm Crosby, Peter Falk and Alexandra Pelosi.<\/p>\n
Wernick also served as an Adjunct Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts\u2019 Peter Stark Producing Program and as a volunteer in the Cedars Sinai Emergency Room.<\/p>\n